Stephen Fearing – Between Hurricanes

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When you’re considered one of the best in your field, like Stephen Fearing, expectations are much higher, perhaps unfairly so. At first listen, it’s easy to slough off Between Hurricanes as just another fine Fearing album, but coming from a less accomplished folksinger, it would be considered a great work of art.  All that being said, there are no weak moments on the disc, every song is well-written and performed. Fearing’s down-to-earth baritone voice is the real draw and doesn’t disappoint, ending the album with a gorgeous silky smooth rendition of Gordon Lightfoot’s “Early Morning Rain.” One odd thing about singer-songwriters is that they all love the “super slow ballad” to death.  “The Half-life of Childhood” and “The Fool” are deep songs that will take your mind places, it’s that the tempo is not rushing to get there. So positioning of them in the middle of album is almost counter-intuitive to those of us with the attention span of a gnat. He quickly brings back the energy with the very next track, the cheeky shuffle, “Keep Your Mouth Shut.” “Wheel of Love,” with its simple major chord riff and inviting chorus is destined to be one Fearing’s most requested tunes. It’s what they call an earworm: it’ll get stuck in your head for days, it’s that good.  Another fine well-crafted folk album from one of Canada’s masters. (LowdenProud, stephenfearing.com)  Broose Tulloch

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